Wheelchairs 4 Kids and TownSquare Construction give Teen Full Access to her Home

Saniya could not get her wheelchair through the 22 inch bathroom door until Wheelchairs 4 Kids and TownSquare Construction came to the rescue.

 

Mount Dora, FL – 13 year old Saniya has osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease.  She was born with 2 broken arms and 2 broken legs.  She has had over 40 broken bones,  including her back.   The door to her bathroom was too narrow to get her wheelchair through safely until Wheelchairs 4 Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children with physical disabilities, and TownSquare Construction came together to help Saniya.

Saniya is a spunky teen who loves Selina Gomez and the Florida Gators!  Her favorite color is pink and she loves to sing and dance.  As a matter of fact, she has been in 4 community plays and dreams of someday being a star of stage and screen.   She has so much personality that everyone who meets her immediately falls in love with her.

Saniya, who lives with her grandmother, Eartha Brooks, could not get her wheelchair through the bathroom door without risking injury to her fingers and elbows.  Her grandmother would have to lift her in and out of the bathroom.  Eartha contacted Wheelchairs 4 Kids to see if they could help.  Madeline Robinson, the executive director, immediately set out to find a solution.  After contacting several contractors, it became apparent that it was not going to be a simple fix.

“Due to the home design, the quotes we received were extremely prohibitive and we weren’t sure if we’d ever find a solution”, Robinson said, “but our motto has always been that there is always someone out there willing to help.  We just have to find them”.  And find them, they did.  Linda Nagle of the Lake County Homebuilders Association suggested 2011 Builder of the Year, Joe Williams.  Williams is President of TownSquare Construction, an award winning custom home builder that specializes in building green homes. Williams immediately agreed to visit the home and was determined to help.  “Once I met Saniya and her grandmother, I couldn’t say no”, said Joe, “We just had to figure out a solution”.

Not only did TownSquare Construction figure out a way to widen the door from 22 inches to 29 inches by installing a sliding pocket door, they donated all of the labor and convinced their suppliers to donate materials.  “I like to help people” was all Williams had to say about it!  He and his crew spent all day Saturday doing the job right.  Williams, a perfectionist, is even going back out to fix the tiling.  They also recaulked the fixtures.

Everyone took a break for a delicious  lunch provided by PizzAmore.

Madeline and her husband Lonnie, then set out to purchase new towels, a shower curtain and other bathroom accessories for the big reveal.  “It was so much fun to watch Saniya see her new bathroom for the first time.  It was even better watching her go through that door with ease.  We could never do what we do without the help of people like Joe Williams”, said Robinson, “Watching Saniya’s reaction makes everything we do worth it.”

Saniya was thrilled and excited about the bathroom and its new décor.   Her grandmother was relieved, “Thank goodness, no more lifting!” said Eartha, “Madeline was so good working with us until the door got done.  We’ve been blessed.”

Wheelchairs 4 Kids is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children with physical disabilities.  For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.wheelchairs4kids.org or call (727) 946-0963.